Clutch control mechanism for calculating machines



Mud! 14, 1950 R. A. GHRISTIAN EI'AL- 2,500,346

CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CALCULATING MACHINES Filed July 10, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3nnentors RAYMOND A. CHRISTIAN a WILLIAM L. PADEN THEIR Gttorneg March 1950 R. A. CHRISTIAN ETAL 2,500,346

CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CALCULATING MACHINES Filed July 10, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 RELEAS '9' E Snncntors RAYMOND A. CHRISTIAN 8 WILLIAM L. PADEN THEIR Gttomeg Patented Mar. 14, 1950 CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CALCULATING MACHINES Raymond A. Christian, Oakwood, and William L. Paden, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Application July 10, 1947, Serial No. 760,078

11 Claims. (Cl. 192-22) This invention relates to an improved clutch control mechanism for calculating machines, and more particularly to a mechanism for controlling the operation of a power-actuated device for engaging the motor clutch of a calculating machine.

Heretofore it has been customary in the calculatin machine art to provide a direct linkage from the motor bars or other manipulative members to the main clutch of the machine, so that depression of the bars or other members will cause the linkage to be actuated and thereby cause the clutch to be engaged and the machine to be operated. However, as additional refinements have been made in these machines and more functions have been incorporated therein, the clutch control linkages have tended to become more involved and more complex, so that the load imposed upon the motor bars and other motorized manipulative members has become quite heavy and the force required to depress these devices is consequently considerably greater than that which is essential for convenient and rapid operation of the machine.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide, in a motor-driven business machine, a power means for actuating the clutch control linkage of the machine under the control of a motor bar or other manipulative member, thereby relieving the operator of the machine of the effort of operating the linkage.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a power-operated business machine, a poweroperated clutch-engaging mechanism which is operable under the control of a manipulative member to give the machine a cycle of operation but which will not cause repeated cycling of the machine if the manipulative member is held depressed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a power-operated clutch-engaging mechanism for calculating machines which may be rendered operable by any one of a plurality of manipulative members and which may also be blocked by a selectively operable locking means, together with means for causing certain of said manipulative members to be blocked by said locking means.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide means for restoring the power-operated clutch-engaging mechanism of a calculating machine to its initial position after it has been rendered operable by a manipulative member and then blocked by a selectively operable locking means.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the following descrip- 55' tion, the invention includes certain novel features of design and combinations of parts the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a right side elevation of a mechanism embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view showing a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, with certain parts removed in order to more clearly illustrate the mechanism involved.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing a modification of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a left side elevation showing the connection between the novel clutch control mechanism and a group of control keys located on the left-hand side of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the motor drive mechanism for operating the calculating machine.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention is shown as applied to a calculating machine of a well-known type, the basic structure of which is disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,197,276, issued September 5, 1916, to Halcolm Ellis; The driving motor and the clutch therefor are shown only in a general manner in the present drawings, and reference is made to United States Patent No. 2,142,341, issued January 3, 1939, to Charles H. Arnold, and United States Patent No. 2,243,806, issued May 27, 1941, to Laurence N. Lehman, for a detailed description of this mechanism.

As shown in Fig. 5, the means for operating the present machine comprises an electric motor 9, which is preferably of the start-stop type disclosed in Patent No. 2,142,341, supra, which motor is secured to a clutch housing Ill by means of screws II. The housing I0 is attached to the under side of a machine base I2 by any suitable form of fastening means. The motor 9 is provided with a shaft I 3, on which is mounted a Worm I4, which meshes with the teeth of a worm wheel I5 rotatably mounted on a stud I6, which is attached to the housing Ill. Attached to the worm wheel I5 is a driving member ll, which is adapted to be engaged with and to drive a driven member I8 whenever a release lever I9 is rocked counterclockwise about a pivot stud 20 in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

Secured to the driven member I8 is a crank arm 2|, to which is pivotally connected the lower end of a link 22, the upper end of which is pivotally connected to an operating arm 23, which is fast on a main shaft 24 journaled between left and right side frames 25 and 28 (Figs. 1 and 6). The arm 23 (Fig. bears at its outer end a roll 21, which operates within a cam slot 28 provided in a plate 29, which is secured to the righthand end of a leading frame shaft 38 journaled between the side frames 25 and 28. Therefore, each time the crank arm 2| makes one revolution, the operating arm 23 will be raised and lowered, thereby causing the shaft 38 to be rocked first counter-clockwise and then clockwise, so as to cause a leading frame bar (not shown herein but adequately illustrated in the above-cited patents) to be moved first toward the rear and then back toward the front of the machine, thereby causing the actuator racks of the machine to be reciprocated back and forth in a well-known manner.

As in previous machines of this type, the clutch may be engaged by the depression of either a main motor bar 34 (Fig. 1), a skip tab motor bar 35, or a vertical feed motor bar 38. The skip tab motor bar 35 and the vertical feed motor bar 36 each overlie a lip 3| provided on either end of the main motor bar 34, so that, whenever either of these two bars is depressed, the main bar will likewise be carried down and thereb cause the motor clutch to be engaged and the machine to be operated. The clutch may also be engaged by any one of a group of motorized control keys located on the left-hand side of machine. As shown in Fig. 4, these keys consist of a balance key 31, a total-3 key 38, a total-4 key 39, and a total-2 key 48. In the present machine, however, unlike the previous machines, the depression of the manipulative members 34 to 48, inclusive, serves to release a clutch control mechanism to the pull of an actuating spring 4| (Figs. 1 and 2), which then operates the mechanism and causes the clutch to be engaged. As shown in Fig. 1, the spring 4| is stretched between a stationary bracket 42 and an arm 43 pivotall mounted on the main shaft 24. Secured to the main shaft adjacent to the arm- 43 is a restoring arm 44 bearing a stud 45, which is adapted to engage with a finger 48 formed on the arm 43, as the main shaft is rocked, to thereby retension the spring 4| and prepare the mechanism for the next operation.

Pivotally connected to the arm 43 is the rear end of a link 41, the forward end of which is pivotally connected to the lower end of a release lever 48, which is loosely journaled on the hub 49 of a pawl-disabling arm 58, which is pinned to the right-hand end of an interlock shaft 5|. The upper end of the lever 48 is provided with a formed-over ear 52, which is adapted to cooperate with a tooth formed on a latch 53, which is pivoted on a stud 54 secured to the right side frame 26. The latch is adapted to be disengaged from the ear 52 by either one of a pair of release pawls 98 and 5|, each of which is provided with a shoulder 52 adapted to cooperate with a formed: over ear 83 provided on the latch 53. Hence, when the pawls 88 and 8| are lifted, the latch 53 will be disengaged from the ear 52 on the lever 48, and the latter member will be released for clockwise movement under the influence of the actuating spring 4|, so as to cause the clutch to be engaged in a manner hereinafter to be described.

The pawl 98 (Fig. 1) is adapted to be lifted whenever one of the motor bars 34, 95, or 38 is depressed, this pawl being pivotally connected at 84 to the right-hand arm of a yoke 85, which is 4 pivoted on a stud 86 mounted on a key stem guide bracket 61 secured to the right side frame 28. The left-hand arm of the yoke is provided with a rearwardy extending finger 58, which lies beneath a stud 69 mounted in a stem 18 of the motor bar 34. As shown herein, the stem 18 is provided with slots 1|, which engage over studs 12 and 13 secured to the right side frame 28 so as to support the motor bar 34 for vertical sliding movement. A spring 14, stretched between the right arm of the yoke 55 and the stud 12, tends to rock the yoke counter-clockwise about the stud 66, thereby urging the motor bar into its elevated or undepressed position. Thus, when the motor bar is depressed, the yoke will be rocked in a clockwise direction against the urgency of the spring 14, so as to cause the pawl 88 to be lifted and the lever 48 to be released.

In a similar manner, the pawl 5| (Fig. 2) is pivotally connected at 15 to a lever 18, which is pivotally mounted on the stud 66. The lever 18 bears a stud 11, which cooperates with a finger 18 formed on a lever 19, which is pivoted on the stud 54. The lever 19 is provided with a downwardly-extending arm which is slotted at its lower end to receive a stud 88 secured to the right-hand arm 8| of a yoke 82, which is loosely journaled on a shaft 83 extending between the side frames 25 and 25. As shown in Fig. 4, the yoke 82 is provided with a left-hand arm 84 bearing a stud 85, which cooperates with the slotted end of a lever 86 pivoted on a stud 81 secured to the left side frame 25. The upper end of the lever 88 is provided with a bifurcation which engages with a stud 88 secured to the forward end of a control key release bar 89. The bar 89 is supported at its rear end by an arm 98, which is pivotally mounted on a stud 9| secured to the left side frame 25, and at its forward end by a slot engaging a stud 92 mounted in a release ke lever 93, which is pivotally mounted on a screw 94 extending into the left side frame.

The bar 89 is urged rearwardly by a spring 91 and is provided with four upstanding lugs 98 associated with each of the keys 31 to 48, inclusive. As shown in Fig. 4, the stem of each of the keys 31 to 48, inclusive, is provided with a latching notch 99, which is adapted to be engaged by a formed-over ear I88 provided on the upper end of a key latch associated with each of these four keys. As shown herein, the balance key 31 is provided with a key latch I8I, which is pivotally mounted on a stud I82 secured to the left side frame and urged in a clockwise direction about this stud by means of a spring I83, so as to urge the ear I88 into engagement with the rear edge of the key stem of the balance key. Consequently, when the balance key is depressed, the spring I83 will urge the ear I88 into engagement with the notch 99 to thereby latch the key in its depressed position and at the same time move the bar 89 forwardly against the urgency of the spring 91 by reason of the engagement of the ear I88 with the lug 98. Likewise, the total-3 key 38 has associated therewith a key latch I84, which is pivotally mounted on a screw I85 secured to the left side frame, the latch being urged clockwise about the screw by means of a spring I88, so as to cause the ear I88 to engage with the notch 99 in the key 38 when the key is depressed, and also to move the bar 89 forwardly in the machine. The total-4 key 39 has associated therewith a key latch I81, pivotally mounted on a stud I88 secured to the left side frame, which latch is urged in a clockwise direction by means of a spring I09 acting through an intermediary consisting of a lever IIII pivotally mounted on a frame screw III and connected with the latch I01 by means of a link I I2. Similarly, the total-2 key 40 is provided with a key latch H3 piv. -tally mounted on the screw III and urged in a clockwise direction by means of a spring II4, so as to latch down this key when the latter is depressed and cause the bar 89 to be moved forward.

In order to cause the control keys to be released at the end of each machine operation, a key release pawl H5 is pivotally mounted on the rear end 01 the bar 89, this pawl being operated to move the bar rearwardly at the end of each cycle so as to release the key latches from the notches 99 and thereby permit the keys to be restored by means of compression springs H6 (only one shown herein) coiled around the lower end of each key stem. The mechanism for operating the pawl H5 at the end of each cycle is well known in the art and is completely shown in Fig. 58 of Patent No. 1,197,276, hereinbefore referred to, wherein the pawl L61, which corresponds to the pawl I I5 shown herein, is operated near the end of each cycle by a stud I3D on the plate D50. The bar 89 may also be moved rearwardly by depression of a release key I I1, which causes a stud II8 to engage with a cam surface II 9 formed on the lever 93 and rock said lever 93 clockwise about the screw 94. The stud 92 is thereby caused to engage with the rear end of the slot formed in the bar 89 and thus move the bar toward the rear of the machine so as to release any depressed control key.

It will be noted from the preceding description that, whenever any of the four control keys 31 to 40, inclusive, is depressed, the bar 89 will be moved forwardly so as to rock the yoke 82 clock- Wise, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby-rocking the lever 16 clockwise and causing the pawl 6| to be lifted so as to release the latch 53 from the lever 48 and cause the clutch to be engaged.

When the lever 48 is rocked clockwise by the spring 4|, engagement of the clutch is effected by means of alug I22 provided on the lever,

which lug is urged into engagement with a stud I23, provided on a lever I 24 pivotally mounted on the stud 12, by means of a spring I25 stretched between the levers 48 and I24. "The lever I24 is provided with a rearwardly-extending arm I26, on which is mounted a stud I21, which engages with a bifurcation provided in one arm of a three-armed lever I28 pivotally mounted on a stud I29 extending between the right side frame 26 and the bracket 42. The lever I28is provided with a downwardly-extending arm I30 bearing a stud I3I, which lies in front of a shoulder I32 formed on a clutch release pawl I33 pivotally mounted on a stud I34 extendin between the right side frame and the bracket 42.- Pivotally secured to the pawl I33 is the forward end of a pitman I35, the rear end of which is provided with a slot which engages with a stud I36 secured in the right side frame 25. The pitman I (Fig. 5) carries a stud I31, which is engaged by the forked upper end of an arm I38 formed on a lever I39 loosely journaled on the pivot stud 20. This lever is connected by a pin I40 with the release lever I9, thereby causing these levers to move together as a unit. The levers I9 and I39 are urged in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5, by means of a sprin I4I attached to the pin I40, thereby urging the pawl I 33 in a counter-clockwise direction so as to hold the shoulder I32 in contact with the stud I3I. However, when the latch 53 (Figs. 1 and 2) is elevated so as to release the lever 48 to the action of the spring M, the stud I3I willbe moved upwardly out of engagement with the shoulder I 32, thereby permitting the spring I to rotate the levers I8 and I39 counter-clockwise. The rear end of the lever I9 will then move up out of engagement with the shoulder formed on the driven member I8 so as to release the latter and cause the clutch to be engaged. This will result in operation of the main shaft 24 and the leading frame shaft 30 by the electric motor 9.

The lever I39 is provided with a downwardlyextending arm I42, on the lower end of which Is provided a roll I43, which is adapted to be engaged by a nose I44 formed on the crank arm 2I as the latter nears the completion of one revolution of movement. Thus, at the end of each machine cycle, the levers I9 and I39 will be rocked clockwise against the pull of the spring I4I, so as to restore the pawl I33 to its initial position, where it will be retained by the stud I3I engaging beneath the shoulder I32.

It is to be noted that the stud 45, carried by the arm 44 (Figs. 1 and 2 on the main shaft 24, will engage with the finger 46 and restore the release lever 48 at the middle of the machine cycle, thereby causing the spring I25 to be stretched and the stud I3I to be resiliently pressed against the surface I on the clutch release pawl I33. Hence, when the pawl I33 is restored by the engagement of the nose I44 with the roll I43 near the end of the cycle, the stud I3I will snap behind the shoulder I32 and hold said pawl in its home position against the urgency of the spring I4I.

In order to prevent repeated cycling of the machine in the event that the motor bar is held depressed or that one of the control keys is held down after the first cycle has been completed, a non-repeat mechanism has been provided so as to enable the latch 53 to engage with the car 52 on the lever 48 even though the operator of the machine holds one of the manipulative elements depressed. The means for accomplishing this result consists of a U-shaped extension I46, (Fig; 1) provided on the pawl-disabling arm 50, which is adapted to cooperate with tails I 41 provided on the pawls 60 and 6|.

When the lever 48 is released to the influence of the spring M, the pawl-disabling arm will be rocked ina. clockwise direction by means of the stud I23, which engages with a nose I49 provided on the arm 50. This will cause the lower ends of the pawls and 6| to be moved toward the rear of the machine against the force of springs I48 stretched between the pawls and a stud mounted in the latch 53. Thus the shoulders 62 will be disengaged from the ear 63 and thereby permit the latch to reengage with the car 52 even though the control keys or the motor bar be held depressed.

The nose I49 is urged into engagement with the stud I23 by means of a spring I50 stretched between the lever 48 and the arm 50, thereby causing the arm 50 to be restored at the same time that the lever I24 is restored (near the end of the machine cycle). When the arm 50 is thus restored, the tails I 41 will be released by the extension I46 and the pawls 60 and 6| will then be free to return to their eilective positions, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, under the influence of their respective springs I48.

In order to prevent a machine cycle from being initiated when the traveling paper carriage is out of columnar" position or off stop," or when an amount key is in a partially-depressed position or when some other condition obtains which renders it undesirable to permit a machine operation to take place, a plurality of locking arms, such as arms I54 and I" (Figs. 1,2, and 3). are pivotally mounted on a stud I58 secured in the right side frame, each arm being provided with a shoulder I", which is adapted to lie over a square stud I88 carried by an arm I88, which is pivotally mounted on the stud 12. This arm has a form provided therein so that its lower edge will lie over and engage with the upper edge of the arm I28. The arm I58 is urged in a clockwise direction about the stud I! by means of a spring I88 stretched between the arm and the stud 18.

The arm I 89 has integral therewith a forwardlyextending arm IGI, which bears a stud I82, on which is pivotally mounted a pawl I68. This pawl is pr vided at its upper end with a notch which is urged into engagement with a stud I84 secured to the stem ll of the motor bar 84 by a spring I88. The pawl I83 also bears a stud I88, which is adapted to be engaged by a finger I81 formed on the right-hand arm of the yoke 85. Thus, when the yoke is rocked clockwise by depression of the motor bar, the pawl will be rocked counterclockwise as the motor bar is depressed until it is moved out from beneath the stud I just before the motor bar reaches its lowermost position. This will release the arm I58 to the action of the spring I88 and permit the arm to be restored to its initial position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, even though the motor bar be held depressed. Accordingly, any of the locking arms may move into position to block the square stud I88 and prevent engagement of the clutch so long as the condition which caused the blocking arm to be-moved over the square stud prevails.

If it were not for this release feature bein provided for the arm I58, it would be possible for the operator to hold the motor bar depressed until after the end of the machine cycle and then, with the motor bar depressed so as to render the looking arms ineffective, operate one of the control keys 81 to 48, inclusive, so as to cause the pawl 8| to lift the latch 58 and cause a machine cycle to be initiated. However, with the automatic release mechanism for the arm I58 hereinbefore described, it is impossible for the operator to thus engage the clutch, since any locking arm which may be rendered effective will block the arm I50 and prevent the lever I28 from being rotated under the influence of the spring II when the latch 53 is released by the pawl 8 I In case the pawl 8| is lifted by depression oi one of the control keys 81 to III, inclusive, while a locking arm is eflective to block the square stud I88, the lever 48 will escape far enough to the right (Figs. 1 and 2) to prevent the car 82 from being reengaged by the hook-shaped end of the latch 58 when the latter is released, as, for instance, by depression of the release key III to release any depressed control key. It is to be noted that the pawl 88 cannot thus be operated to lift the latch 58 when a locking arm Ls in eil'ective position, since in this case depression of the motor bars is positively prevented by reason of the linkage consisting of stud I, pawl I88, arm l8l, arm I88, and square stud I88."

When the lever 88 is thus released to the pull of the spring ll, it causes the square stud 88 to be pressed against the shoulder I51 of the effective locking arm with sufllcient force to create a bind thereon and hence prevent the locking arm from being moved away from the stud Ill even though the condition which caused the locking arm to be rendered effective has been removed. Under these circumstances, the machine is rendered inoperative; that is, a machine cycle cannot be initiated by manipulation of the control keys or motor bars. In order to enable the operator to relieve the pressure on the square stud and thereby eliminate the bind which causes the din!- culty, a restoring lever I88 (Fig. l) is provided, this lever having a handle I", which projects through the cabinet of the machine on its righthand side. The lever I" is secured to the lever I by means of a pin III, which secures the two levers to one another for unitary operation. Thus, the operator of the machine may, by pulling up on the handle I, rock the release lever 48 counter-clockwise to thereby reengage the ear I! with the latch 58. The locking arm will thereby be released, and the machine will be restored to its initial condition. Hence, as soon as the locking arm is moved from above the square stud I88, the machine may be cycled in the usual way by depression of one of the control keys or one of the motor bars.

In some cases, it may be desirable to have the machine operate when the condition which ne cessitates the blocking of machine operation has been removed, and for this purpose the construction shown in Fig. 3 may be employed. As shown therein, a roll III is provided on the locking arm I in the position normally occupied by the shoulder I81. Hence the roll will engage with the square stud "8, and, even though the stud I be pressed against the shoulder I81 with considerable force, there can be no binding action which will prevent the locking arm from moving away from the square stud. This feature may be found desirable, for example, in those types of operations where it is advantageous to permit a total key to be depressed while the traveling P p r carriage is moving between columnar pofltions. In this case, the locking arm I would ordinarily be moved into effective position with the roll III located above the square stud I88 during the time that the traveling carriage is moving between columnar positions, the means for accomplishing this result being shown and described in the aforementioned Lehman patent and reproduced in Fig. 1 of the present drawings. As shown in this figure, the rearward extension oi the arm I is provided with a stud I12, which cooperates with the end of an arm I13 secured to a control shaft I14 Journaled in the side frames 28 and 28. Also secured to this shaft is a crank I18, to which is connected the lower end of a link I18, the upper end of which is connected to the left-hand end of a hanging bar lever Ill pivoted near its center on a stud I18 secured to. the machine frame. The hanging bar lever I1! is provided on its righthand end with a cam nose III, which is adapted to be engaged by a lug I located on a carriage stop I8 I which is mounted on the traveling paper carriage I82.

When the carriage moves into a preselected columnar position, the lug I88 depresses the right-hand end or the hanging bar lever, thus lifting the link I18 and rocking the control shaft I" counter-clockwise. This will result in the locking arm I84 being rocked clockwise about the stud ISO to thereby remove the roll III from above the square stud I88. 1!, during the time that the carriage is traveling between columnar positions, one of the total keys 8'! to 88, inclusive, is depressed, the latch It will be released and the lever I24 will be urged counter-clockwise by the spring ll to thereby press the square stud I58 up" against the roll "I. Then, as soon as the traveling carriage comes to rest in a column where a lug I88 is present on the carriage stop I8I, the locking arm I54 will be rotated in a clockwise direction, thereby releasing the square stud I 58 and permitting the clutch to be engaged and the machine to be cycled.

Means is also provided for preventing any one of .the control keys 31 to 40, inclusive, from being depressed once the clutch has been engaged. As shown in Fig. 4, each of the keys is provided with a stud I85, which is adapted to engage with a pendant I85, so as to prevent more than one of the keys from being depressed at a time. Also pivotally mounted on a stud I81, secured in the left side frame 25, is an interlocking arm I88, which is urged clockwise by means of a spring I89. This arm is provided with a finger I98, which lies beneath the stud I85 on the balance key 31, the finger also pressing against the rightmost pendant, as viewed in Fig. 4, so as to' rock all of the pendants in a clockwise direction. The arm I88 is also provided with a formed-over ear I9I, which is adapted to cooperate with a blocking finger I92 formed on a pelican cam I93 secured to the interlock shaft justinside the left side frame 25. Hence, whenever the pawl-disabling arm 58 is rocked clockwise by the spring 4|, the shaft 5| will likewise be rocked clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1', so as to cause the finger I92 on the pelican cam to be moved beneath the ear l9I, thereby preventing movement of the interlocking arm I88 and of each of the pendants I86. Thus all of the control keys will be effectively blocked against operation once the arm 50 has been rocked by the spring 4|.

The pelican cam I93 (Fig. 4) is also provided with a blocking face I94, which is adapted to move beneath a rearwardly-extending finger I95 secured to the release key III, so as to prevent depression of the release key after the pawl-dis abling arm 58 has been rocked clockwise,as viewed in Fig. 1. Thus the release key cannot be depressed during a cycle of machine operation to thereby release one of the control keys prematurely and so cause a misoperation of the machine.

From the foregoing'description of the mecha-' nism shown in the accompanying drawings, it will be appreciated that the control keys and the motor bars have only the task of raising the pawls 60 and 6| so as to lift the latch 53, after which the spring 4| rocks the lever 48 and the remainder of the clutch control linkage to thereby cause engagement of the clutch. Thus, only a very light pressure need be applied to the control keys or the motor bars in order to initiate an operation of the machine.

Although'the structure shown and described herein illustrates a very satisfactory and desirable form or embodiment of the invention, it is understood, of course, that modifications might be made in the mechanism diclosed herein without departing from the spirit or principle of the invention defined by the following claims.

What is claimed isz 1. In a machine of the character described, having a main operating mechanism, an electric motor to drive the main operating mechanism, and a clutch to selectively connect said motorwith said main operating mechanism, the combination of means to control the engaging and disengaging of the clutch; yieldable means to move the III controlling means to clutch-engaging position; means normally effective to hold the controlling means in clutch-disengaging position against the action of the yieldable means; power-operated means movable to effective position to disable the holding means to engage the clutch; means to retain the power-operated means in ineifective position; manipulative means to disable the retaining means; means to restore the power-operated means to ineffective position; means to restore the controlling means into engagement with its holding means; and means operable by the power-operated means when it moves to effective position to disable the manipulative means to insure that the retaining means will be effective to retain said power-operated means in restored position.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of power means for giving the machine a cycle of operation; means for connecting the power means to the machine; means, including a release lever, for rendering the connecting means effective; yieldable means for operating said release lever; a latch for restraining said lever against operation by said yieldable means; manually operable means for disengaging said latch from said lever to thereby enable said yieldable means to operate said release lever and cause said machine to be given a cycle of operation; means operable on each cycle of operation of the machine for restoring said release lever to its initial position; and means operated by said release lever for disabling said manually operable means so as to enable said latch to reengage with said lever when the latter is restored to its initial position even though said manually operable means is held operated.

3. In a machine of the character described, having a main operating mechanism, an electric motor to drive the main operating mechanism, and a clutch to connect the motor with the main operating mechanism, the combination of control means normally effective to maintain the clutch disengaged, but releasable to effect engagement of said clutch; a release lever to actuate the control means; power means to move the release lever from an inefiective position to an eifective position to release the controlmeans to initiate an operation of the machine; a latch to engage and retain the release lever in inefiective posit on against the action of the power means; a lifter to disengage the latch from the release lever; manually operable means to lift the lifter; and means operable by the release lever upon disengagement of the latch to disable the lifter to permit the latch to reengage said release lever when said release lever is restored to normal position even though the manually operable means is retained in operated position.

4. In a machine of the class described having a main o erating mechanism capable of being given cycles of operation, power means for driving said mechan sm through said cycles of operation, and a clutch device for connecting said power means to said mechanism so as to cause said mechanism to be given a cycle of operation, the combination of means, including a release lever, for rendering said clutch dev ce effective to connect said power means to said main operating mechanism; a spring for operating said release lever; a latch for restraining said release lever against operation by said spring; a member for disabling said latch so as to enable the release lever to be operated by said spring; means for restoring said release lever to its initial position during the flrst hall of each machine cycle; and means comprising an arm flexibly connected with said release lever for disabling said member when said release lever is operated and ior retaining said member disabled until near the end of the,

machine cycle. s

5. In a machine oi the class described, the combination of means for giving the machine cycles of operation; means for initiating operation of and means for manually restoring said release 1 lever to its original latched position after it has been released by said manipulative means and blocked by said selectively operable means.

6. In a machine or the class described, the combination of means for giving the machine cycles of operation; means for initiating operation of said cycling means; means, including a release lever, for rendering said initiating means effective; power means for operating said release lever; a latch for restraining said release lever against operation by said power means; a pawl for disabling said latch so as to enable the latter to be operated by said power means; manipulative means for operating said pawl; a pawl disabling arm flexibly connected with said release lever and operable thereby to move said pawl out of enga ement with said latch when the lever is operated: means for restoring said release lever to its initial position during the flrst half of each m chine cycle; and means for retaining said pawl d sabling arm in its operated position until near the end oi the machine cycle so as to maintain said pawl disengaged from said latch for the balance oi each machine cycle.

'1. In a machine oi the class described, the combination of means for giving the machine cycles 01' o eration; means movable from an inactive position to an active position for initiating operation 01' said cycling means; power means for moving said initiating means from its inactive position to its active position so as to cause operation 01' said cycling means; means for restraining said initiating means a ainst movement by said ower means; manipulative means for disabling said restraining means so as to enable said power means to move said initiating means to its active position; normally ineffective means for blocking said initiating means against movement by said power means; means for rendering said blocking means effective; a device operable by said manipulative means for cooperating with said blocking means so as to prevent movement of said manipulative means when said blocking means is rendered eflective; and means movable with said manipulative means and cooperating with said device when said blocking means is ineffective for causing said device to be released from said manipulative means when the latter means has been fully manipulated.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means for giving the machine cycles of operation; means movable from an inactive position to an active position for initiating operation of said cycling means; Dower means for moving said initiating means from its inactive position to its active position so as 12 to cause operation of said cycling means; means for restraining said initiating means against movement by said power means; manipulative means for disabling said restraining means so as to enable said power means to move said initiating means to its active position; normally ineilective means for blocking said initiating means against movement by said power means; means for rendering said blocking means effective; a device operable by said initiating means and also by said manipulative means for cooperating with said blocking means so as to prevent movement or said initiating means when said blocking means is rendered eflective; and means for causing said device to be released from said manipulative means when the latter means is fully manipulated.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means for giving th machine cycles of operation; means movable from an inactive position to an active position for initiating operation of said cycling means; D wer means for moving said initiating means from its inactive position to its active position; means operable during each cycle of operation for restoring said initiating means to its inactive position; means for restraining said initiating means aganst movement by said power means; a plurality of selectively operable means for independently disabling said restraining means so as to enable said power means to move said initiating means to its active position; one or more blocking members; an. intermediate member movable by one of said disabling means and also by said initiating means from a normal position to a moved position, said member, when in its normal position, being capable of being blocked by said blockingmember so as to prevent said initiating means from being moved to active position; means for resiliently urging said intermediate member into its normal position; and means for causing said intermediate member to be released from said one disabling means after said member has reached its moved position to thereby enable said member to be returned by said urging means to normal position when said initiating means is restored, where it may be blocked by any one of said blocking members and so prevent said initiating means from being moved to active position when another 0! said disabling means is operated.

10. In a machine of the class described having means for giving the machine cycles of operation and means for initiating operation of said cycling means, the combination oi means, including a release lever, for rendering said initiating means eflective; power means for operatin said release lever; a latch for restraining said release lever against operation by said power means; a pair of pawls for disabling said latch so as to enable the release lever to be operated by said power means; manipulative means for operating each 01 said pawls; means for restoring said release lever near the middle of each cycle or the machine; and means for disabling said pawls when said release lever is operated and for maintaining said pawls disabled until near the end of the machine cycle, so as to enable said latch to reengage with said lever when the latter is restored even though one of said pawls be held operated, said disabling means operating to cause the other or said pawls to become effective to release said latch upon operation of its associated manipulative means at the conclusion oi the machine cycle.

11. In a machine of the class described. having a main operating mechanism, an electric motor to drive the main operating mechanism, and a clutch to connect the motor and the main operating mechanism, the combination of movable means to control the clutch; yieldable means to move the control means to inefl'ective position to render the clutch etlective; means to restore the control means to effective position; means to hold the control means in efiective position against the action of the yieldable means to render the clutch inefiective; an actuator for the holding means; power means to move the actuator from normal position to eilective position to disable the holding means; means to restore the actuator to normal position; yieldable means between the actuator and the holding means and effective when the actuator is in normal position, to enable said holding means; means normally effective to retain the actuator in normal position against the action of the power means;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Walker et al Mar. 6, 1945 Number 

